1. Technical Field
The present application relates to image recording apparatuses that record images on recording media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among image recording apparatuses that record images on recording media such as recording sheets, those including two rollers and an endless conveying belt that extends between the two rollers are well known The outer circumferential surface of the conveying belt serves as a conveying surface for conveying recording media. The conveying belt is an adhesive belt whose conveying surface is adhesive, and can reliably support recording sheets on the conveying surface thereof. With this, accuracy in conveying the recording sheets can be improved.
When recording sheets such as plain paper sheets having low rigidity and having few projections and depressions on the surfaces thereof are conveyed by the adhesive belt, the recording sheets are firmly adhered to the conveying surface, and cannot be easily separated from the conveying surface. Moreover, since dust particles generated by the recording sheets are firmly adhered to the conveying surface, the conveying surface needs to be vigorously washed such that the dust particles are removed. This leads to an increase in cost, and not only that, leads to a reduction in the lifetime of the adhesive belt. To solve these problems, a charged belt to which the recording sheets are adhered by electrostatic force can be used. However, since the adhesive force of the charged belt is small, it is difficult to reliably support recording sheets such as inkjet photo paper sheets having high rigidity and a tendency to deviate from a flat state, or recording sheets such as kraft paper sheets having projections and depressions formed on the surfaces thereof.